Chain and other elongated lifting and load-bearing devices such as rope, wire rope, cables, straps and the like are often used either intentionally or unintentionally up to and beyond their rated load-bearing capacity or working capacity. When chain and the like are used in this way, and the rated capacity is exceeded, the chain or other lifting or load-bearing elongated devices may fail. When the failure occurs, other damage may be associated with the event and, in certain circumstances, there are attempts to recover damages based upon liability associated with failure of the chain or other load bearing devices. In these circumstances, it would be helpful to determine whether the rated load bearing capacity for the chain or other elongated lifting or load bearing device has been exceeded; if so, it is believed that the failure to stay within the rated load bearing capacity will provide important exculpatory evidence for use in defending claims of liability against manufacturers of the chain or other load bearing devices.
For that reason, it is believed that a device for incorporation into, or for use in association with, a chain or other elongated load bearing device would have value in the industry if it was capable of indicating when the rated load bearing capacity or working capacity of the chain or other elongated load bearing device is exceeded. While devices that indicate load exist, these devices are relatively cumbersome and either awkward to use or so expensive as to make use as an indicator of exceeded load bearing capacity impractical for commercial uses.
While load cells are a possibility, they are relatively expensive and they also generally require a source of electricity. Incorporation of such an indication device into an elongated load-bearing device such as a rope, chain or other simple load bearing device is believed to be impractical unless the cost of such devices can be significantly reduced and the challenge of providing electricity to the device is resolved simply and effectively.
The present invention provides simple and reliable solutions to these and other problems.